Belong to Something Amazing…
Catalyst is recruiting a Partner Relationship Manager to join our dynamic Open Innovation Team.
Role Overview:
As Partner Relationship Manager, you’ll sit as a key member of our Open Innovation team, shaping, managing and evolving relationships with our corporate partners to drive mutual impact.
This role isn’t just about managing accounts, it’s about orchestrating collaborations that help fast-track Northern Ireland’s most promising tech start-ups and scale-ups. You’ll be the bridge between big business and brilliant innovators, helping to spark breakthroughs and build a community that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Partners contribute both financially and through their insight and involvement. In return, they gain:
- Visibility as leaders in innovation
- Access to a vibrant network of founders, researchers, and change-makers
- Influence on the future of innovation in Northern Ireland
- Opportunities to give back through mentoring, steering panels, and more
About Catalyst:
We are a non-profit organisation that supports science and technology innovation in Northern Ireland with buildings and hubs in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry where companies can use our flexible workspaces to operate from. We use the profits generated from our property portfolio to deliver entrepreneurial support programmes, facilitate funding, inform policy and accelerate technology-based research and development, by linking with academia and government.
Working at Catalyst:
A certified Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of the top 100 Workplaces in the UK for 2024, receiving awards for Best Place to Work, Best Workplace for Development, Best Workplace for Employee Wellbeing, and Best Place to Work for Women, Catalyst is one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting employers.
With a strong vision of Opportunity for all from world-leading innovation, this is a workplace brimming with ambition to create social, cultural, and economic advantage. We are a force for good, bold in our approach with integrity at our core and passion in everything we do.
Diversity and Inclusion at Catalyst:
Diversity and inclusion aren’t boxes to tick on a CSR list. At Catalyst, they are part of our DNA, lived, breathed, seen, and heard across our community, projects, and co-working spaces.
We not only want to foster and empower a culture of innovation, but also an environment where people can be their true, authentic self and thrive, and we are proud to be recognised by the Diversity Charter for achieving silver status, with ambitions to progress to Gold.
As an equal opportunity employer, we recruit based solely on the individual’s ability to perform the role, and that’s allowed us to create an inclusive workplace which celebrates the diversity of our teams and community.
Key Information:
- Full time, permanent contract.
- Attractive benefits package
- Competitive salary up to £45,000 depending on qualifications/experience.
- Based in Belfast, Titanic Quarter.
- Reporting to Director of Innovation Partnerships.
Employee Perks:
- Competitive Benefits Package including Private medical insurance for you and your dependents
- Generous pension contribution
- Generous life assurance policy
- Enhanced parental leave packages
- Hybrid working options available
- Free open access to company organised events.
What Are We Looking For?
You’ll be a natural relationship-builder with a sharp commercial eye, unafraid to challenge the status quo and always thinking a few steps ahead. You’re motivated by long-term impact, not just short-term wins, and you know how to translate strategy into day-to-day action. Whether it’s navigating a delicate renewal conversation or identifying a new opportunity for collaboration, you’re someone who shows up with purpose, listens well and delivers with integrity.
Responsibilities:
- Own and grow relationships with senior stakeholders across our partner portfolio, ensuring mutual value and retention
- Lead the continuous improvement of the Catalyst Partner experience, adapting to needs and feedback to hit engagement and NPS targets
- Identify and pursue new partnership opportunities, with an eye on both revenue and ecosystem enrichment
- Manage the full lifecycle of partnership — from onboarding to renewal
- Facilitate meaningful partner involvement in Catalyst’s innovation programmes, events, and communities
- Maintain a structured partner database with real-time insights on engagement, contributions, and status
- Collaborate with internal teams to leverage partner expertise across mentoring, panels, workshops, and sponsorship
- Lead the planning and delivery of bespoke initiatives with Platinum Partners
- Work closely with Marketing to deliver a strong, coherent external partner campaign, and to ensure collateral is best-in-class
- Oversee meeting scheduling and communications with the Catalyst Partners Leadership Board
- Manage partnership renewals and invoicing, with a sharp eye on timelines and value
Essential Criteria:
- Strong prior experience in a Partner Relationship Manager or Business Development position.
- Experience managing relationships with senior leaders in commercial organisational.
- Experience designing or delivering partner engagement strategies or programmes
- Proven ability to work across functions and sectors with diplomacy and drive
- High level of IT literacy, particularly in CRM tools and reporting systems
- Exceptional communication skills — written, verbal, and interpersonal
- Self-starter with a proactive mindset, able to spot opportunities and act on them
- Strong customer focus with commercial acumen and creative problem-solving skills
- Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced setting
- Comfortable working independently and collaboratively
Desirable Criteria:
- Experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, or start-up ecosystems
- Experience designing or delivering partner engagement strategies or programmes
- Understanding of the Northern Ireland business and tech landscape
Other Requirements:
- Proof of right to work in the UK
- On occasions to work evenings and weekends
- Full current driving licence or access to transport
Criteria may be enhanced to aid shortlisting. Exceptional candidates who do not meet the criteria may be considered for the role provided they have the necessary skills and experience.
